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New Pre-Hanging Association Launched

“In response to a demand from the marketplace for an organization that holds all members on an equal standing,” the American Pre-Hung Door Association has been formed. With about 20 members currently, APHDA recently launched a Web site to spread the word about the new group to the industry.

The new organization has no specific meeting plans yet, but is looking to host roundtable discussions and regional meetings to build its membership base, reports Georgia Smith, executive director. “We have a core group that’s excited and very much interested in helping to get a new association going.”

It’s similar to the constituency served by the Association of Millwork Distributors, Smith states, but APHDA plans to differentiate itself in a number of ways. One important distinction, she notes, is that while there will be membership categories for different types of companies, “everybody’s equal” as far as voting capabilities.

Don Hall, president of Don Hall & Associates, became involved with the new association early because he feels the subset of prehangers is a group deserving of focus on its own specific needs. He believes there is enough room in the market for both AMD and APHDA. “I could see some people favoring APHDA,” he notes,” but the major suppliers would want to stay with AMD as well. I don’t see it as competition—it’s more of a tighter focus on that segment of the business.”

With more businesses such as lumberyards taking up prehanging operations, Hall believes the new association will be well received. “I’m just amazed at how many people are getting into the pre-hung door business,” he says. “It’s really taking off.”

Smith explains that the new association intends to be charity-oriented. Current discussions include establishment of a scholarship program as well as an industry-specific program similar to the Service Corps Of Retired Executives (SCORE). “We want to enable people to tap into the wisdom that’s out there. There are many out there from the industry that would like to give a hand to help people out too.”

Immediate plans include further development of the membership base. Depending on its success in signing up new members, APHDA has tentatively targeted May 2008 for an exposition bringing together suppliers and pre-hangers.

APHDA corporate offices are in Flower Mound, Texas, while executive offices are located in Palm Harbor, Fla. More information about the organization is available at its Web site, http://www.aphda.org, or by calling 866/704-7147.